Protecting Human Rights at the United Nations
SCS3210/4210 ECH4210
Prof. David Petrasek
Spring 2016
COURSE OUTLINE
Class schedule: May, 2016 – University of Ottawa
June, 2016 – Geneva, Switzerland
Professor’s office Office: FSS 6035
Phone x4550
Meetings by appointment
E-mail:
On virtual campus: Yes
OFFICIAL COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is intended to provide students with an understanding of how the United Nations (UN) protects human rights. It will introduce students to the main UN human rights treaties, and to the various UN bodies that exist to enforce those treaties. The course combines an initial period of online learning with a 2-week visit to the UN offices in Geneva while the UN Human Rights Council is in session. Students will follow actively the debates in the Council and meet with UN officials, government delegates, and representatives of civil society attending the Council debates. The overarching goal is twofold: to understand the rules, and to understand the political, economic and other factors that so bedevil UN efforts to enforce them.
GENERAL COURSE OBJECTIVES
The objective of the course is to provide students with a good understanding of the UN regime for the protection of human rights, including both the nature and scope of the rights protected as well as the various mechanisms at the United Nations through which they can be enforced. Additionally, the aim is to help students understand both the opportunities and the constraints of this legal regime, and in particular the political and other factors which influence attempts to make it more effective.
LEARNING FORMAT
Part 1 of the course will take place in Ottawa prior to departure to Geneva. From 16 May – 3 June, students will be asked to complete an online course of study, followed by a few in-class sessions. The online material and in-class sessions will provide students with a basic grasp of the UN human rights system.
Part 2 of the course will take place in Geneva from 12 – 26 June. During this period, the Human Rights Council will be in session. Students will attend morning seminars at Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights (this will include guest lecturers), and spend several hours each day at the Human Rights Council.
The UN human Rights Council is the UN”s pre-eminent human rights body. It is composed of 48 voting Member States (the membership rotates), but all UN member states may take part in its deliberations. It meets for three weeks, three times each year. Hundreds of government delegates, and many more NGO representatives, coming from many countries, take part in the Council debates.
The precise schedule for the completion of the on-line modules, the in-class sessions in Ottawa, and the scheduled of activity in Geneva is still being determined and will be finalized in early 2016.
ON-LINE MODULES
There are five on-line learning modules to be completed before departing Ottawa for Geneva.
Module One - Introducing the United Nations and Human Rights
Module Two - Civil and Political Rights
Module Three- Economic and Social Rights
Module Four - The UN Human Rights Council
Module Five - The UN Human Rights Treaty Bodies
ASSESSMENT METHODS
10% – Participation Grade – based on the student’s full attendance at all in-class sessions and active participation in discussions.
25% – Module tests – students will complete on-line tests at the end of each of the on-line Modules. Each of five tests is worth 5 marks.
25% - A Journal – students will write a journal of their time spent in Geneva, reflecting on what they are learning as they follow the seminars, guest lectures and in their interactions at the Human Rights Council, and submit it at the conclusion of the course.
40% – Human Rights Council Project – students will investigate and report on an issue currently under debate at the Human Rights Council, including through a presentation to classmates in one of the morning sessions in Geneva. The report will require interviewing government and NGO delegates with knowledge of the issue.
SPECIFIC COURSE OBJECTIVES
On completion of the course, students should understand:
(i) the key UN human rights treaties and the range of human rights they protect;
(ii) the main UN bodies established to oversee the implementation of human rights, and the ways in which they operate;
(iii) the role of the various actors involved at the UN in developing and applying UN rules for the protection of human rights, including states, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organisations;
(iv) the legal, political and other factors affecting the UN’s ability to enforce human rights obligations.
READINGS
Specific readings are identified, with links, in the on-line modules.
COURSE SCHEDULE - tbd
Policy on language quality and late submissionsWhen in class discussions are held, attendance is necessary to successfully complete this course.
You will also be judged on your writing abilities. It is recommended to take the appropriate measures to avoid mistakes such as spelling, syntax, punctuation, inappropriate use of terms, etc. You may be penalized up to 15%, to the professor’s discretion.
Late submissions are not tolerated. Exceptions are made only for illness or other serious situations deemed as such by the professor. There will be a penalty for late submissions. University regulations require all absences from exams and all late submissions due to illness to be supported by a medical certificate.
Absence for any other serious reason must be justified in writing, to the academic assistants of the Faculty, within five business days following the date of the exam or submission of an assignment. The Faculty reserves the right to accept or refuse the reason. Reasons such as travel, jobs, or any misreading of the examination timetable are not acceptable.
Resources for you
Mentoring Centre - http://www.sciencessociales.uottawa.ca/mentor/fra/
The goal of the Mentoring Centre is to help students with their academic and social well being during their time at the University of Ottawa. Regardless of where a student stands academically, or how far along they are in completing their degree, the mentoring centre is there to help students continue on their path to success.
A student may choose to visit the mentoring centre for very different reasons. Younger students may wish to talk to their older peers to gain insight into programs and services offered by the University, while older student may simply want to brush up on study and time management skills or learn about programs and services for students nearing the end of their degree.
In all, the Mentoring Centre offers a place for students to talk about concerns and problems that they might have in any facet of their lives. While students are able to voice their concerns and problems without fear of judgment, mentors can garner further insight in issues unique to students and find a more practical solution to better improve the services that the Faculty of Social Sciences offers, as well as the services offered by the University of Ottawa.
Academic Writing Help Centre - http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/writing/At the AWHC you will learn how to identify, correct and ultimately avoid errors in your writing and become an autonomous writer. In working with our Writing Advisors, you will be able to acquire the abilities, strategies and writing tools that will enable you to:
· Master the written language of your choice
· Expand your critical thinking abilities
· Develop your argumentation skills
· Learn what the expectations are for academic writing
Career Services - http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/careers/
Career Services offers various services and a career development program to enable you to recognize and enhance the employability skills you need in today's world of work.
Counselling Service- http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/personal/
There aremany reasonsto take advantage of the Counselling Service. We offer:
· Personal counselling
· Career counselling
· Study skills counselling
Access Service - http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/acces/
The Access Service contributes to the creation of an inclusive environment by developing strategies and implementing measures that aim to reduce the barriers to learning for students who have learning disabilities, health, psychiatric or physical conditions.
Student Resources Centres - http://www.communitylife.uottawa.ca/en/resources.php
The Student Resources Centres aim to fulfill all sorts of students needs.Beware of Academic Fraud!
Academic fraud is an act committed by a student to distort the marking of assignments, tests, examinations, and other forms of academic evaluation. Academic fraud is neither accepted nor tolerated by the University. Anyone found guilty of academic fraud is liable to severe academic sanctions.
Here are a few examples of academic fraud:
• engaging in any form of plagiarism or cheating;
• presenting falsified research data;
• handing in an assignment that was not authored, in whole or in part, by the student;
• submitting the same assignment in more than one course, without the written consent of the professors concerned.
In recent years, the development of the Internet has made it much easier to identify academic plagiarism. The tools available to your professors allow them to trace the exact origin of a text on the Web, using just a few words.
In cases where students are unsure whether they are at fault, it is their responsibility to consult the University’s Web site at the following address: http://www.socialsciences.uottawa.ca/eng/writing_tools.asp « Tools for Writing Papers and Assignments ».
Persons who have committed or attempted to commit (or have been accomplices to) academic fraud will be penalized. Here are some examples of the academic sanctions, which can be imposed:
• a grade of « F » for the assignment or course in question;
• an additional program requirement of between 3 and 30 credits;
• suspension or expulsion from the Faculty.
Last session, most of the students found guilty of fraud were given an « F » for the course and had between three and twelve credits added to their program requirement.
For more information, refer to:
http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/info/newsletter/fraud_e.html
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